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5 Favorite Albums of 2004

including albums from Septmeber or later of 2003

1. "The Glorious Burden" by Iced Earth (Power/Epic Metal)

After spending much of their career focusing on dark fantasy and similar themes, The Glorious Burden marks a turn towards reality for Iced Earth. The album specifically covers events in world history, and because history is often defined by conflict and tragedy, the tone remains just as dark, epic, and powerful as previous works from the band. The album goes as far back as the fifth century A.D. with Atilla the Hun's ravages across Europe, and as far forward as the terrorist attacks in America in 2001. In between, there is the American Revolution ("Declaration Day", "Valley Forge"), the Napoleonic Wars ("Waterloo"), and World War I ("Red Baron/Blue Max"). The album's centerpiece, however, is "Gettysburg (1863)", a three-part, 32-minute epic that tells the tale of the defining battle of the American Civil War. Backed up with a full orchestra and led by the vocals of new singer Tim Owens (ex-Judas Priest), the music portrays the tremendous power and emotion that must have been present when those two great armies clashed, with the fate of a nation hanging in the balance. Taken as a whole, The Glorious Burden proves that some of our most amazing and resonant stories come not from the imagination of mankind, but rather, from our real-life deeds, for good and ill, throughout all of human history.

Disc 2-Gettysburg
1. The Devil to Pay
2. Hold At All Costs
3. High Water Mark

2. "The Eyes of Alice Cooper" by Alice Cooper (Rock N Roll)

A throwback to mid 80s/early 90s hard rock. Alice looks back at some points in life in songs like "Detroit City" and "Spirits Rebellious." But it also goes back to that silliness that makes Alice who is with songs like "Backyard Brawl," and "The Song That Didn't Rhyme." And of course the shock is still there in "Novocaine," "This House is Haunted," and "I'm So Angry." Songs like "Love Should Never Feel This Way" and "Between High School and Old School" show that Alice stills remember the emotion of being an American teenager. one of my favorite albums ever.

Track Listing:
1. What Do You Want For Me
2. Between High School and Old School
3. Man of the Year
4. Novocaine
5. Bye Bye Baby
6. Be With You Awhile
7. Detroit City
8. Spirits Rebellious
9. This House Is Haunted
10. Love Should Never Feel This Way
11. The Song That Didn't Rhyme
12. I'm So Angry
13. Backyard Brawl

3. "Contraband" by Velvet Revolver (Hard Rock)

Straight forward hard rock. Plain and simple. Oh yeah, some of the best guitar solos ever are there...but then again, what would you expect from Slash?

Simply put, Blind Guardian is the best prog/power band in the world. Unlike many bands, none of Blind Guardian's sound, or Hansi Kursch's voice is lost live. Almost every song is better musically, except ironically enough, the songs from Nightfall in Middle-Earth, which i would have thought would have transitoned extremely well to the live format. To think of Blind Guardian, think of Iron Maiden meets Slayer meets Queen.

CD 2
1. Under the Ice
2. Bright Eyes
3. Punishment Divine
4. The Bard's Song (In the Forest)
5. Imaginations from the Other Side
6. Lost in the Twilight hall
7. A Past and Future Secret
8.Time Stands Still (At the Iron Hill)
9. Journey Through the Dark
10. Lord of the Rings
11. Mirror Mirror

Considering that I don't like Black or Death Metal, for it to make this list, you know it has to be good. Mainly I think I like do to the driving guitar riffs of rythm guitarist Galder and keyboardist Mustis. Man, if Shagrath wasn't a black/death metal vocalist, I'd call Dimmu Borgir the best metal band in the world. The lyrics to their songs don't always make sense, as I think they literally translate it to English from their native tongue (Norwegian). Amazingly enough, none of the lyrics qualify as black metal (Satanic Metal), and are mainly neutral. The American version doesn't contain the Bathony cover of "Satan My Master," so that's always a good thing.

Re: 5 Favorite Albums of 2004

Good taste LvJ.

Anyway, my list is in no order. I review CD's for a friends site, mostly punk/hardcore/emo and while I have heard maybe better CD's than some on the list, these are the ones that received the largest amounts of play in comparison.

Re: 5 Favorite Albums of 2004

Originally Posted by Brutus_the_Red

*Green Day - American Idiot

* = Album of the Year, imho

I'd agree with that. I don't even know if I can come up with five, but my three favorite were U2's new album, the Modest Mouse album, and American Idiot. I'd have to think really hard back to the beginning of last year but I think those are the only three I even bought in 2004.

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
--Oscar Wilde

Re: 5 Favorite Albums of 2004

Originally Posted by missionhockey21

Good taste LvJ.

Anyway, my list is in no order. I review CD's for a friends site, mostly punk/hardcore/emo and while I have heard maybe better CD's than some on the list, these are the ones that received the largest amounts of play in comparison.

Cool. Care to share the link?

Anyways, about Ted Leo. I love the new album, but it's really the only stuff I've heard from them (well, until just very recently). I was diggin in some of their old stuff, and I've got to say, "Parallel or Together?" is my favorite song at the moment along with Elliott Smith's "King's Crossing". Check it out if you haven't already. It's on the "The Tyranny of Distance" album, which is great as well.

Re: 5 Favorite Albums of 2004

Awesome, I love this topic....

The year in music, (As I see it )

Top five albums:
#1 Muse - Absolution (Simply amazing. I cant believe these guys have gone unnoticed in the states as long as they have. This is their 4th album, and each one is worth your money. The Perfect blend of Heavy guitar and keys, with unbelievable chord progressions, amazing songwriting, and talented emotional vocals. If you enjoy Radiohead, but think they get a little weird at times, Try Muse, You will not be dissapointed.)

#2 Green Day - American Idiot ( A True Rock Opera, from the pioneers who brought Hi-Fi into Punk. Jesus of Suburbia and Homecoming are my favorites. Who would have ever expected two 9 minute songs on one green day album?)

#3 The Killers - Hot Fuss ( I havent heard synthesizers used this well since The Cars. Great song writing also.)

#4 The Music - Welcome To The North (Not many people have heard of these guys, Remind me alot of heavy Jane's Addiction)

#5 The Cure - The Cure (Something about Robert Smith's voice has just always done it for me.)

Honorable Mention:
Modest Mouse - Good News for People Who Love Bad News
Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand
Jimmy Eat World - Futures
Keane - Hopes and Fears
John Frusciante - The will to Death
Breaking Benjamin - We are not Alone Here
Pearl Jam - Live at Benroya Hall
Sparta - Porcelain
Incubus - A crow left of the Murder
The Used - In Love and Death
The Eagles of Death Metal - Peace, Love, and Death Metal
Cake - Pressure Chief
Killswitch Engage - The End of Heartache
Velvet Revolver - Contraband

Dissapointments:
U2 - How to dismantle an Atomic Bomb - Just an overall weak album IMO, Seems like U2 is developing a pattern of releasing an awesome album followed up with a weaker album.

REM - Around the Sun - I think this is their worst album ever. Maybe I was too wrapped up listening to the greatest hits when this album came out, and it kind of skewed my opinion.

Chevelle - This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In) - I like this album, but it just doesnt stack up to "Wonder What's Next". His Vocal melodies were a step down with this album.

Re: 5 Favorite Albums of 2004

Originally Posted by LvJ

Cool. Care to share the link?

Anyways, about Ted Leo. I love the new album, but it's really the only stuff I've heard from them (well, until just very recently). I was diggin in some of their old stuff, and I've got to say, "Parallel or Together?" is my favorite song at the moment along with Elliott Smith's "King's Crossing". Check it out if you haven't already. It's on the "The Tyranny of Distance" album, which is great as well.

I've got all the Ted Leo albums. Such great song writing I had to pick them up. But that's a great song. As for Elliott Smith, I have yet to check out his latest. I do have "Either-Or" and enjoy it very much though.

Re: 5 Favorite Albums of 2004

Originally Posted by missionhockey21

I've got all the Ted Leo albums. Such great song writing I had to pick them up. But that's a great song. As for Elliott Smith, I have yet to check out his latest. I do have "Either-Or" and enjoy it very much though.

Ah, nice. Very cool.
So Either/Or eh? Nice. Check you XO, Figure 8, Self-Titled, and From A Basement On A Hill. All superb albums. The man, atleast in my opinion, never put out something that was less than phenomenal. He's truly missed by myself. His last writings on From A Basement on a Hill, really are haunting.

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